Privacy Policy
Effective date: 30/09/2026
Website: Sparkles / www.sparklesuk.com
1. Who we are
Medic Shona operates Sparkles, an adult social community for transgender, cross-dressing, gender-diverse, and supportive adults.
Contact details
Shona@Sparklesuk.com
We are the organisation responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.
2. Who this policy covers
This policy applies when you visit or use our website, app, profiles, forums, messaging, livestreaming, age checks, paid features, or support and reporting channels.
The Service is for people aged 18 or over. We do not knowingly allow under-18s to create accounts or use the Service. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us at shona@sparklesuk.com
3. Information we collect
Depending on how you use the Service, we may collect:
Account details: username, email address, password credentials, date of birth or age-check result.
Profile information: chosen name, pronouns, gender identity, presentation, interests, location or profile text that you choose to provide.
Content and communications: posts, photos, videos, messages, livestreams, comments, reports, and support requests.
Sensitive information: content you choose to share may reveal information about gender identity, transition, sexual orientation, sex life, health, or other sensitive matters. You can choose what to provide, subject to information required to create or use an account.
Payment information: payment status, transaction references, and subscription details. Card details are handled by Paypal; we do not receive or store full card numbers.
Device and usage information: IP address, device and browser details, log data, approximate location derived from IP, and how you use the Service.
Cookie and similar technology information: details set out in our Cookie Policy.
Information from others: information in reports, moderation appeals, or content in which you are mentioned.
Please avoid posting information about another person unless you have permission or another lawful reason to do so.
4. How and why we use information
We use personal information for the purposes below. Before publishing, make sure the lawful bases listed match your real processing.
Purpose
Examples of information used
Possible lawful basis
Create and manage accounts and provide the Service
Account and profile details, posts and messages
Contract
Verify adult access and meet legal or safety requirements
Age-check result, relevant account and security records
Legal obligation; and/or legitimate interests, depending on the requirement
Keep the Service secure and prevent fraud, abuse, and rule-breaking
Device, usage, account, and report information
Legitimate interests; legal obligation where applicable
Review reports, moderate content, and handle appeals
Report details, content, messages relevant to a report
Legitimate interests; legal obligation where applicable
Process payments and subscriptions
Transaction and subscription information
Contract; legal obligation for accounting records
Respond to questions and provide support
Contact details and support communications
Contract; legitimate interests
Improve and understand the Service
Usage and diagnostic information
Legitimate interests; consent where required
Send optional marketing
Contact and preference information
Consent where required, or another lawful basis where permitted
Meet legal obligations and handle legal claims
Relevant records and communications
Legal obligation; legitimate interests
Where we rely on legitimate interests, those interests may include operating and securing the Service, preventing abuse, handling complaints, and improving our features. You can ask us for more information about a legitimate-interests assessment.
Sensitive information
Information you choose to include in your profile, content, or messages may reveal sensitive details about you. We use that information to provide the features you choose to use, display content according to your settings, and address reports and safety concerns.
Where information falls within a legally protected special category, we will only process it when we have both a lawful basis and a separate legal condition that permits that processing. We will not infer or use sensitive characteristics for advertising or profiling unless we have a lawful basis, any required separate condition, and have explained that use to you.
5. Who can see your information
Depending on the feature and your settings, profile information and content may be visible to all visitors, signed-in members, approved members and your selected audience. Messages are visible to their recipients and may also be reviewed where reasonably necessary to enforce our rules, respond to a report, protect users, or meet legal obligations.
Before posting, check the audience setting and consider whether you want the information to be available to other members. No online service can guarantee that another user will not copy or capture content they can access.
6. How we share information
We may share information with:
Service providers that host the site, store data, deliver email or notifications, provide customer support, process payments, conduct age checks, or help secure the Service.
Moderators and authorised staff who need access to operate the Service, investigate reports, or provide support.
Professional advisers, such as lawyers, accountants, and insurers, where necessary.
Authorities or other parties where required by law, to protect someone’s safety, or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
A successor organisation if we sell or restructure the business, subject to appropriate safeguards and notice where required.
We do not sell personal information.
7. International transfers
Some providers may process information outside the UK. Where we transfer personal information internationally, we use a permitted transfer mechanism and appropriate safeguards where required.
8. How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as needed for the purposes explained in this policy, including legal, accounting, safety, and dispute-handling needs.
When information is no longer needed, we delete it or remove identifying details. Some data may remain in backups for a limited period or be retained where required for legal claims, safety investigations, or legal obligations.
9. Cookies and similar technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to [keep you signed in, maintain security, remember preferences, measure usage, or provide advertising.
10. Your choices and rights
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:
request access to your personal information;
ask us to correct inaccurate information;
ask us to delete information;
ask us to restrict or object to certain processing;
request a portable copy of certain information;
withdraw consent where processing relies on consent; and
complain to a data protection regulator.
To make a request, contact shona@sparkleuk.com or use account setting. We may need to verify your identity before responding. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that took place before withdrawal or processing that relies on another lawful basis.
Right to object: Where we rely on legitimate interests, you may object to that processing. Contact shona@sparkleuk.com and tell us what processing you object to.
If you are in the UK, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). We would appreciate the chance to address your concern first.
11. Account closure and content deletion
You can close your account through the account management section or contact shona@sparklesuk.com When you delete content or close your account, it will be removed from public view as soon as possible, subject to the retention exceptions in Section 8. Recipients may have copied or saved content before its removal.
12. Security
We use technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information, including, access controls, encryption, staff training, or security monitoring. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a data breach requires notification, we will follow applicable legal requirements.
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy to reflect changes to the Service, our data practices, or the law. We will post the updated policy and revise the effective date. If a change materially affects how we use your information, we will provide additional notice where required.
14. Contact us
For privacy questions or requests, contact:
Medic Shona
Email: shona@sparklesuk.com